


A Modest Proposal

by junko



Series: Senbonzakura's Song [31]
Category: Bleach
Genre: M/M, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-15
Updated: 2014-09-15
Packaged: 2018-02-17 12:29:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2309714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/junko/pseuds/junko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Byakuya discovers Renji's brother is, in fact, missing from the estate, crap starts to hit the fan, as it were.  Renji has to scramble for a solution....</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Modest Proposal

Hoe in hand, the gardener stood beside the small hut he shared with his wife. Smoke curled from the chimney. Frost-covered winter cabbages glistened in the late afternoon sun.

As Byakuya strode purposely towards him, up through the orderly rows of winter vegetables, the man froze, like a startled animal. Which was all the confirmation of Seichi's absence that Byakuya needed. 

The gardener’s grip tightened on his hoe. Byakuya flashed the distance and struck the tool from the old man’s grip. It cartwheeled across the small field, and smacked into a tree with a clank.

Instantly, the old man dropped to his knees and put his hands over his head, like he expected a beating on the spot. “Oh my lord, I’m so sorry! I couldn’t control him! Then, one morning Abarai-kun was gone. I’m so sorry, Kuchiki-sama! Please forgive me! I’m just an old man!” 

Byakuya tried to hang on to his anger, but the abject terror of the gardener's reaction sent it slipping away. He should be furious. He had every right to be. He’d been embarrassed by Soi Fon, made to look as though he had no control of his own household. And yet...

Tear-filled eyes dared a glance up at Byakuya. “I was afraid, my lord. My family and I… we have nowhere to go. My wife would never survive the Rukongai.”

Byakuya wanted to deny that banishment would be the punishment, but he couldn’t. He’d sent servants away before, for less. 

Fear.

Byakuya’s own ruthless reputation had caused this. The gardener had been too afraid to tell the truth. Fear that Byakuya would behave unreasonably harshly had trumped the loyalty a servant should owe a master.

And, now what was he doing striking out at an old man? Acting the part of the horrible overlord?

Dear gods, he was turning into Aunt Masama. 

But what could he do? If he was too soft, control slipped away from him. If he was too hard, people worked around him like this, as though he were an obstacle in their path, and not… an advocate.

At Byakuya’s silence, a sob escaped the gardener’s throat, and he bowed his head once more. “It was foolish to think that you’d never discover the truth. I’m a fool. Please, my lord, take pity on this fool. Please, I beg you, my lord. I will take whatever punishment you see fit, but please let my wife stay on.”

The old man would die just as surely in the Rukongai. They both knew that. The kindness he begged for was still far too cruel a fate, especially since trusting Seichi had been Byakuya’s mistake as much as the old man’s.

“I was the fool,” Byakuya said, finally, his voice sounding firmer than it had any right to considering the turmoil in his head. “I should not be surprised to discover that one brother is as headstrong and willful as the other. Be at ease, I won’t take your livelihood. But,” the gardener had let out of gulp of relief before Byakuya continued, “Be warned. Keep another secret of this magnitude from me or my household and I will have your tongue.”

Satisfied with the way blood drained from the head gardener’s face, Byakuya swept away. If he stood there much longer, the gardener would sense Byakuya’s heart wasn’t in it. He hated the idea of potentially mutilating someone, but it couldn’t be an empty threat. If it happened again, he would have to follow through. 

It was a terrible solution, especially given that fear had motivated the gardener’s disobedience in the first place. 

But what other solution was there? 

Irritated, Byakuya stalked back toward the estate.

Apparently having spotted Byakuya’s approach, Eishirō scurried out of the estate to meet him at the door with a bundle of something under his arm and a bright smile. “My lord! Perfect timing as always.” He stopped to bow and offer Byakuya his bath things, “You can meet the lieutenant and the young heir at the hot springs.”

The onsen sounded exactly like what Byakuya needed after this horrible morning of captain’s meetings, strawberry punch, Shinji Hirako, and an errant Abarai. He took the towels and toiletries, but he had to ask, “Were you aware that we are missing a gardening assistant?”

Eishirō shot upright. “What?”

There was no faking the emotions that roiled across the house steward’s face. He hadn’t known. That, at least, was a relief. “It seems Seichi Abarai abandoned our service and is being harbored by the Eleventh.”

Eishirō suddenly looked conflicted, but bravely said, “I will personally accompany a battalion of bodyguards to retrieve Abarai immediately, my lord.”

Byakuya waved that idea off. The Kenpachi would only laugh at such a paltry show. “No, if anyone is to fetch him, it will be the lieutenant or myself.”

“Oh thank gods,” Eishirō breathed. Then, seeming to suddenly realize he’d said that out loud, covered his mouth and bowed again. “And the gardener? Has he already been sent packing, my lord?”

“Not this time,” Byakuya admitted. At Eishirō’s curious expression, Byakuya explained. “I should not have entrusted a feeble old man with a known felon. Out of kindness to his brother, I was too soft with Seichi. The fault of his escape lies with me. However, the gardener has been warned not to let such things go unreported in the future. I made the consequences clear, should he make this mistake again.”

Eishirō’s eyes went wide, like he could well imagine what that might be. Byakuya wasn’t sure how it made him feel to see a similar sort of fear reflected in his house steward’s eyes. 

Did no one trust him not to be an unreasonable monster?

“How long has Seichi been gone?” Eishirō wondered, clearly looking devastated that he hadn’t thought to check in on the gardener’s charge.

“It’s uncertain,” Byakuya said, a wave of tiredness washing over him. “I was only informed this morning by Captain Soi Fon.”

“By Captain…. Oh dear gods,” the steward breathed. A deep blush flushed his features. “My lord, I feel responsible. It’s my duty to know everything in this household and report to you. I should have—“

Byakuya raised a hand. He was so tired of threats and excuses. “Yes, perhaps you should have,” he snapped. “However, so should have I. There is much blame to spread around,” taking a deep breath, Byakuya pinched the space between his eyes where his headache had spiked. “Please send a decent… brunch to the sento. Has the lieutenant been fed?”

“Yes, my lord, and the heir as well.”

Right. Because Renji and Shinobu had gone to the onsen together—an odd pairing, Byakuya thought, though he was pleased that Renji had taken the initiative to get to know the young heir. “Very well, though you might as well send along extra. Renji can always eat more.”

The steward stifled a little appreciative laugh. “Indeed, my lord.”

#

The way the little heir stared at Renji’s body was a little… awkward. Renji knew it was the tattoos, but sheesh, gawking like that could make a guy blush. “Oi,” he said teasingly, “Don’t you know the sento rules?”

“Um, no, not really,” Shinobu admitted a little shyly. “On the farm, we took turns bathing in a warm tub.”

Right, of course. Renji was still having trouble wrapping his head around the idea that the young lord with his Kyōraku curls and Kuchiki porcelain skin had grown up outside the Seireitei. To cover for his gruffness, Renji flicked a little water at Shinobu playfully, as he explained: “You ain’t suppose to stare.”

Shinobu’s eyes went wide. His blushed deepened, but then his face grew determined: “But… you’re looking at me!”

“Well, that’s ‘cuz, Kuchiki are supposed to be rule-followers,” Renji blustered. “I didn’t think you’d be looking back!”

“Am I to surmise from this declaration that you take advantage, Renji Abarai?” Byakuya’s smooth, deep voice had Renji jumping up to attention.

“Uh… I… sort of? Sometimes?” Renji offered a hand to help Byakuya negotiate the slippery stairs of the hot springs. 

Despite the cool weather, the doors to the marshy garden had been slid open wide. Steam billowed from where the natural spring water bubbled up between boulders and reeds, casting everything in a mystical misty fog. 

It was beautiful, but the open screens meant that the tiled floor was extremely slippery. Renji’d almost taken a header himself, earlier.

Byakuya took Renji’s hand and let Renji guide him into the water. Despite their earlier discussion, Renji had a hard time not gawping at Byakuya’s flawless beauty. As if sensing Renji’s covetous and admiring looks, Byakuya glanced up and caught his gaze. “It appears you do, indeed.”

“I can’t help it,” Renji admitted. “Have you seen yourself? You’re fucking gorgeous.”

Byakuya leaned closer as though to reward Renji with a kiss when the heir cleared his throat, reminding them he was there. “Did the captains’ meeting go well, Byakuya-sama?”

With a soft sigh, Byakuya let Renji’s hand go. Sinking into the water, he put his elbows on the lip of the pool and hung his head slightly. “No, it did not. Not in any fashion.”

This sounded serious; Renji slunk back down into the water beside Byakuya. He didn’t want to ask after his own interests, especially since the answer was obvious the moment he didn’t get his own butterfly summons this morning. Besides, after failing to take command in the bedroom last night, Renji was more convinced than ever that he wasn’t entirely suited for the job. “So who’d they get?”

Byakuya made an unpleasant face. “They are former captains. Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi for the Third, Shinji Hirako for the Fifth, and Kensei Muguruma for the Ninth. A hundred and some years ago, these men were captains who were outlawed, banished. I was too young and too disinterested at the time to grasp all the details, but the rumors of their disappearance pointed to Kisuke Urahara and some failed hollowfying experiment. Apparently, none of that was true. The experiment worked to some extent, and Urahara was innocent. They’ve been reinstated.” 

Renji leaned his back against the wall of the pool. Shinji? Seriously? That weird freak with the crooked hair and pierced tongue was a former captain? Renji’d heard that Shinji’s pals, the Vizards, had joined the fight for Karakura Town, but he’d no idea they had claims on seats in the Gotei. 

Should’ve figured, though.

“Did you never know them, Renji?” Byakuya asked. He sounded tired, worn out. “They were in the Human World with you.”

Renji shook his head. “I met Shinji—er Captain Hirako when he was masquerading as a high schooler. I knew he weren’t no regular kid, but I had no idea he was a former captain. I, uh, actually thought he was a bad guy trying to recruit Ichigo for the Dark Side, you know? I mean he and that pig-tailed girl were super-secretive and kidnapped Ichigo for months. Should’ve guessed more was up with them when Urahara wasn’t worried.”

Byakuya raised a thin, dark eyebrow. “Dark Side? Perhaps you sensed his inner Hollow.” 

“I don’t know, maybe? I just kind of thought he was weird.”

“He is that.” Sliding off the lip of the pool, Byakuya sunk deep into the water and submerged his head. When he came up, he gave Renji a sorrowful look. “I am sorry you were passed over for consideration.”

Renji shrugged. It wasn’t a surprise, and there wasn’t much for it. Not if they had super-sized, Hollow-powered former captains to take back over Divisions they used to run, anyways.

“And I have more bad news,” Byakuya said. Now the weariness in his voice was obvious and Renji had to swallow back the urge to hug him and ask him what’d happened, because at that moment, as if on cue, Eishirō arrived with trays of tea and snacks. 

They paused for a moment as the servants set everything up for them. 

“Treats in the hot springs,” Shinobu breathed. “Is this typical? It seems so…” Renji thought maybe he was about to say ‘decadent’ but changed his mind, “…wonderful.”

“The food they served at the captains’ meeting was atrocious,” Byakuya muttered as he poured himself a large bowl of tea. “Punch, Renji! Strawberry.”

Renji couldn’t help but laugh, given the new connotation “ichigo” had for them. Byakuya could have no complaints about the spread Eishirō had brought. There were dozens of little finger foods—rolls of fried yuba, tofu skin; dried squid, and any number of pickled vegetables. Despite having just had a big breakfast, Renji’s stomach growled.

For some reason, that made Byakuya smile softly and he offered Renji a yuba roll.

Once they’d eaten a few bites, Byakuya let out a long breath. He stared at the garden and flatly reported: “Seichi is AWOL. Soi Fon informed me that her spies have seen him skulking around your former Division.”

Oh. Uh, oh shit. Renji knew he should’ve found a way to tell Byakuya that Seichi had slipped his leash. “Erm, yeah, I meant to tell you about that. I saw him there, too.”

The mood shifted instantly.

Byakuya set down the tea bowl very deliberately. His back was to everyone and his voice was sharp and resonant as he curtly ordered: “Shinobu, my lieutenant and I need to have a few words. Would you please excuse us?”

“Oh, yes, of course, my lord.” Shinobu gave Renji a sympathetic glance as he pulled himself out of the water and headed for the changing room.

“Renji,” Byakuya said, still not turning around. “Explain yourself.”

Ah, fuck, what was there to even say? “Look, I know it was a cock-up, but… ah hell,” Renji took a breath and started again. Unwilling to stare at Byakuya’s back, he hung his head and watched the steam swirl up from the water. “Remember when I told you some idiots tried to run off with Zabimaru? Well, Seichi was one of them. I… guess I should’ve hauled him back here as soon as I realized, but—ah shit. My stupid-ass brother, he’s never made anything of himself in his whole fucked-up life, and he seemed to have found something at the Eleventh. Something like what I found, you know? A direction. So, I left him.”

“And you told me nothing.”

Yeah, that was the real fuck-up. Renji wanted to make excuses, because, really, when did they have time with the family around all the time? He missed their routine of debriefing over dinner.

But, that wasn’t the only reason, was it? Renji’d kept mum about Seichi for another, far more ugly reason. Renji hadn’t told Byakuya because he didn’t trust him. He was afraid. Renji’d been sure that Byakuya would demand Seichi be returned, punished, and forced back into a life he despised: being a servant at a huge estate. Renji was afraid that taking away this first glimmer of a chance at a new life would kill Seichi, crush him.

And it would make Renji feel like a dog, like a dog of the military, like the fucking boot heel of the Man. 

He just couldn’t do it. Not again, not after what happened with Rukia. 

Not without turning into a monster, a demon.

“I was afraid…” he started then stopped himself. Starting again, he said, “I’m sorry,”

That part was true, at least. He didn’t like that this came between him and Byakuya. He should have sucked it up and reported everything like a dutiful soldier. If Byakuya ordered him to fetch Seichi and whip him under heel, then he needed to fucking do it--to the letter and with all his strength. 

Following orders was not optional for a shinigami in uniform, despite what Ichigo seemed to think. 

Man, it was tempting to throw that kid under the bus. ‘It ain’t my fault, Taicho; Ichigo is a bad influence. I been in the Human World too long, on my own, making my own decisions. I got soft. I forgot my place.’

Letting out another breath, Renji squared his shoulders. Time to own this. “I shouldn’t have made the decision on my own. I should have reported right away.”

Byakuya shoulders drooped. Jeez, look at him, he was radiating hurt and disappointment. Renji felt like an utter heel--on all accounts.

“Yes, Renji. Having bankai does not grant you executive privilege. I am your captain. You will not forget this again,” Byakuya said. His voice was hard, but… where was the edge? “While I may also be your lover, I will not tolerate you abusing my sympathies to your advantage.”

Ah, yeah, okay. Byakuya was far more hurt by this than angry. “Yes, sir. It won’t happen again.”

This whole conversation was only ironic given the fact that they were both stark naked. Nah, not ironic, Renji thought, being dressed down in the sento in the buff was just indicative of all the ways in which the lines of their relationships were utterly and completely fucked-up and blurred.

“I would only hope,” Byakuya said quietly. “That your respect for me would bring you to me in times like this. I would not wish for fear to come between us.”

Oh, huh. Okay, so Byakuya had guessed that was part of the problem. “I do respect you, sir. It… It ain’t you so much as… uh, the system, you know? I’ve had to do it so much…” No, Renji had to stop. He was about to confess to a kind of treason. To not believing in the law, that, deep down, Renji felt was unjust and that more often than not his heart wasn’t in defending the walls that kept so many people face down in the dust. He did believe Byakuya was on his side, but on this matter--only so far. Rukia had been the proof of all that. So, he went back to the point, “But that shouldn’t have stopped me, Taicho. I should’ve trusted you. I should have come to you with all my feelings and laid it all out so we’d be in it together.”

Surprisingly, that seemed to be the right thing to say. Byakuya’s voice was far softer when he said, simply. “Yes.”

Renji waited. Even if they’d come to an agreement, which they seemed to have, there was going to have to be some fall out. He just prayed it was more of the ass-kicking kind and less of the demotion-type. Standing there he tried to decide if this infraction was ‘dereliction of duty’ level or ‘insubordination’ or just ‘dummo move 101 smack on the nose.’

Ah, it was probably at least insubordination.

Fuck.

With a sigh, Byakuya turned around, tea bowl in hand and slunk back down into the warm pool.

Not sure how to take this sudden change in posture, Renji remained standing at awkward, half-submerged attention.

Staring into his tea for a long moment, Byakuya glanced up and said, “At ease, lieutenant. You and I need to strategize where we go from here. There’s no point in attempting to wrestle your troublesome brother from the Kenpachi, but Soi Fon will need to be mollified. I had assured her Seichi was still in my employ, not having been informed otherwise.”

“Oh,” Renji said. He already felt bad enough that the second dig hardly even hurt. Getting overheated from the hot springs, Renji pulled himself out of the pool to sit on the lip. 

“Yes, you understand now why I’m so angry,” Byakuya said, managing to sound anything but. If anything, he sounded beaten down. Though, something about the last thing that Renji had said, seemed to have satisfied something for Byakuya, like somehow things weren’t as bad as all that.

That gave Renji some hope. Like, maybe, despite what Byakuya had said, what he wanted was to be a captain-lieutenant team.

So, with that in mind, Renji considered the problem seriously, determined to come up with something that would save Byakuya the face Renji’d lost him.

Okay, so Soi Fon would need to see that Byakuya was in control of both Abarais. Long ago, when Seichi was first nabbed, it had been clear that Seichi represented a test of Renji’s loyalty to the Gotei. And, here he’d gone and blown it, walked right into another trap—no wonder he ain’t made captain.

“What d’you think if we just do what we were supposed to?” Renji asked.

Byakuya glanced up at Renji briefly, and then went back to his tea dejectedly. “I don’t want Seichi back. Neither do you.”

“Yeah, but that’s what we’re supposed to do, right? That’s what Soi Fon thinks you ought to do.”

“Yes,” Byakuya said, growing irritated. But, it comforted Renji that it seemed more like Byakuya’s usual pre-tea ruffledness. “So you’ve said. Repeating it isn’t a solution.”

“I’m thinking,” Renji said. “You know that ain’t easy for me, but I got a kind of crazy plan forming in my head. You want to hear it?” Byakuya gave a tired little wave, as if he should go on. “Okay, how about, you send me in, all public like, to demand Seichi back. Either Kenpachi coughs him up, or I get my ass handed to me,” Renji said. “Part two is far more likely, because we both know Kenpachi. He’ll fight just because. But, so if Kenpachi puts a public claim on Seichi like that, you can hand over responsibility for his good behavior all up front for everyone to hear. Especially Soi Fon.”

“That plan has some merits,” Byakuya said, sounding somewhat surprised by Renji’s subversive ingenuity. “However, will I not look weak if I allow Seichi to go without fighting myself?”

Renji grinned. “Nah, you can just be haughty about the worthlessness of a Rukongai rat and if your stupid lieutenant can’t do the job right, then Kenpachi’s welcome to such trash.”

Byakuya blinked. “You want me to say that?”

“Well, it’s all cover for my blunder, isn’t it?” Renji shrugged. “Anyways, if we play it right, Soi Fon’ll buy it, hook, line and sinker.”

Taking a sip of tea, Byakuya’s lip curled in a little smile, “And you will come out looking loyal.”

Since Byakuya seemed to imply Renji’d gotten out scot free, Renji hastened to add, “AFTER a good hiding from Kenpachi… or worse, Ikkaku. Don’t think I won’t give it my best, either. It’s going to hurt. And, I’m going to have to limp back to the Division with my tail between my legs…. ”

Yeah, that was going to sting. It wasn’t going to do his pride much good either. But it would save this situation, and maybe mend some personal fences that his not trusting Byakuya had broken. 

That’d be worth it.

“Yes, I suppose that will do to remind you not to do such foolishness again,” Byakuya said. Finishing his tea in a gulp, he placed it back on the tray. “Very well, lieutenant, you are hereby ordered to retrieve your brother from the Eleventh and return him to my service.”

Renji couldn’t say he didn’t ask for this. “Hai, Taicho.”

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't think of a better title, and I ended up sticking with this one because I'm a dork. If you get the reference you can kind of sort of see how Renji's solution is like "A Modest Proposal" only NOT AT ALL. So, yeah, dork.
> 
> Anyway, thanks as always to Josey for her typo-ing and general support.


End file.
